Latest NewsMayor Murrayhttp://murray.seattle.govUpdates from Seattle Mayor Edward B. MurrayTue, 12 Sep 2017 22:10:55 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.5http://murray.seattle.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/cropped-Blue-Sealth-Head-32x32.pngMayor Murrayhttp://murray.seattle.gov3232Mayor Murray statement on Amazon announcementhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-amazon-announcement/Thu, 07 Sep 2017 18:17:16 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42239Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement regarding the announcement from Amazon: “Today is an exciting day for Amazon, one of Seattle’s original technology companies and one that has helped reshape our city over the last two decades. Seattle has grown in recent years, as one of the world’s most creative and innovative companies has […]

Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement regarding the announcement from Amazon:

“Today is an exciting day for Amazon, one of Seattle’s original technology companies and one that has helped reshape our city over the last two decades. Seattle has grown in recent years, as one of the world’s most creative and innovative companies has firmly rooted itself in our city, and not just with the multiple office buildings Amazon has built in our downtown core. Amazon’s work in our community, willingness to invest in the core of our city, and recruitment and development of thousands of talented people have helped Seattle become an international technology and business hub.

“My office will immediately begin conversations with Amazon around their needs with today’s announcement and the company’s long-term plans for Seattle. And we will coordinate with Governor Inslee to convene key business and community leaders to plan for our future growth and response to this announcement. I look forward to working with Amazon to secure their long-term, successful future in the heart of Seattle.

“Though they won’t find one quite like it, it is telling that Amazon is looking for a city in the model of Seattle for its second home, similar to what major tech companies like Google and Facebook have done in building campuses here.

“Seattleites should know Seattle is strong because we have a large, diverse economy. From technology to health care and biotech to forestry, major companies like Expedia and Weyerhaeuser call Seattle home—as do more than 700,000 people that make our city a vibrant, exciting place to live. We have worked with these companies—and those who work here—to make Seattle a great place to do businesses because it is a great place to work, and a great place to work because it is a great place to live. All of these companies, as well as our art, music, sports, recreation and leading progressive values have and will continue to make Seattle one of the world’s most desirable places to live and do business.

“But, we also must know headwinds are coming. Unprecedented growth will not happen forever and my upcoming budget will reflect that. And current federal immigration policy makes it difficult for companies like Amazon to do business in the U.S., where they have employees who may not know from day to day whether they will be allowed to stay here. That is why we must fight these policies and remain a Welcoming City. Our values are why businesses continue to come here in record numbers.

“I look forward to our city’s long partnership with Amazon, both for the thousands of people who work there and the company’s work in our community, such as Mary’s Place. Seattle will be home to Amazon and the many other companies that dot our city’s iconic skyline for years to come.”

]]>Mayor Murray statement on Trump administration’s plan to end DACAhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-trump-administrations-plan-end-daca/Tue, 05 Sep 2017 17:11:37 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42237Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: “President Trump’s elimination of DACA is a reprehensible and heartless act by a president who has repeatedly attacked immigrants. His action could rip apart families and will certainly instill fear in millions, […]

Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

“President Trump’s elimination of DACA is a reprehensible and heartless act by a president who has repeatedly attacked immigrants.His action could rip apart families and will certainly instill fear in millions, including hundreds of thousands of people who came to the U.S. as children and are students in our schools, coworkers and members of our communities. Ending DACA increases the fear many have already been feeling since Trump took over, that they may return home to find a family member detained or authorities waiting for them.

“The City of Seattle will continue to lead in protecting immigrants and refugees. Our Legal Defense Fund for Immigrants and Refugees will help ensure that people who are detained will have access to legal assistance. Our Welcoming City policies will continue to ensure that no City employee or police officer will ask you for your citizenship status and that all City services are available to you regardless of your status. The Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and other City departments remain united in supporting our immigrant and refugee communities.

“Despite the chaos at the federal level, I remain hopeful, because I know that Seattle is a hopeful city that values protecting our most vulnerable residents. I hope that federal legislators use this opportunity to pass a more progressive DREAM Act, one that extends citizenship to Dreamers without being tied to a border wall and that also extends citizenship to the parents of Dreamers. President Trump’s continued attempts to divide our country based on who we are and where we are from will not succeed, nor will they go unanswered.”

]]>Mayor Murray statement on potential elimination of DACAhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-potential-elimination-daca/Thu, 31 Aug 2017 22:59:33 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42234Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement in response to reports President Trump is planning to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: “Behaving like a flip reality TV show host who boosts ratings by dismissing people isn’t presidential, particularly when you’re threatening the real lives of hundreds and thousands of young people. […]

Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement in response to reports President Trump is planning to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program:

“Behaving like a flip reality TV show host who boosts ratings by dismissing people isn’t presidential, particularly when you’re threatening the real lives of hundreds and thousands of young people. Protecting immigrants and defending DACA is not only a moral issue, it is also an economic one. And our city has a vibrant economy because of the important contributions of all immigrants, including Dreamers and other undocumented individuals.

“DACA recipients contribute 15.3 percent of their wages to taxes, which fund Social Security and Medicare. DACA recipients own homes and start new businesses, which contribute to the success of our economy and our communities.

“We need comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship, but because of Congress’ failure to act, programs like DACA are critical in supporting people who grew up in our country. Seattle is a Welcoming City and we’ve already taken legal action against the president over his threats related to immigration policy. We will continue to stand with our friends and neighbors and ensure they know we want them to always call Seattle home.”

]]>City of Seattle, King County announce Legal Defense Fund awardeeshttp://murray.seattle.gov/city-seattle-king-county-announce-legal-defense-fund-awardees/Mon, 28 Aug 2017 19:43:10 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42233Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the community organizations that have been selected to receive $1.5 million in grants as part of the Legal Defense Fund to provide legal aid to vulnerable immigrants and refugees. “I signed legislation in April establishing a $1 million-dollar immigrants’ Legal Defense Fund because immigrants are […]

Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the community organizations that have been selected to receive $1.5 million in grants as part of the Legal Defense Fund to provide legal aid to vulnerable immigrants and refugees.

“I signed legislation in April establishing a $1 million-dollar immigrants’ Legal Defense Fund because immigrants are being targeted by a presidential administration that has embraced White Nationalism,” said Mayor Murray. “Today, with additional money from our partners at King County, we are awarding those defense fund dollars to community organizations like the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Kids in Need of Defense, and West African Community Council, because they advocate for immigrants every day in what’s now a larger fight to preserve core American principles of Democracy.”
“We are sending a clear, united message to the rest of the country – and to the world – that King County remains an inclusive community where all are welcome to build a better future,” said Executive Constantine. “The funding we announce today will help our partner organizations defend the human rights of more immigrants and refugees who contribute to the prosperity and vibrancy of our region.”

Direct Legal Representation – Total awarded: $1,423,358
To qualify for these funds, organizations must have an attorney on staff who is able to provide direct legal representation for low-income immigrants and refugees living in King County or working in Seattle who are in detention, facing removal, or in danger of losing their immigration status.

Community Navigation Services – Total awarded: $111,642
To qualify for these funds, organizations must be able to provide guidance and referrals for low-income immigrants and refugees living in King County or working in Seattle who are in detention, facing removal, or in danger of losing their immigration status.

Over the course of two weeks, a panel comprised of members from the immigrant and refugee legal defense community, King County staff, and City of Seattle staff reviewed both written applications and oral presentations. Out of ten applications, five received awards.

Earlier this year, both the City and the County passed legislation authorizing these funds for legal defense and community navigation services, as President Donald Trump threatened immigrant and refugee communities through both his inflammatory rhetoric and unconstitutional executive orders.

In November 2016, Mayor Murray responded to the federal administration’s anti-immigrant actions by passing his Welcoming City Executive Order, which reinforced the City’s already existing policy that employees do not ask about citizenship status and serve all residents regardless of immigration status. The order also mandated funding for peer support groups and counseling for immigrant and refugee middle and high school youth, legal assistance for immigrant families with children in Seattle Public Schools, and a comprehensive public awareness effort around reporting discriminatory harassment. The City of Seattle also bolstered community collaboration, education, and access to know-your-rights information and resources and created the Inclusive and Equitable Cabinet to address threats to civil rights, including to immigrant and refugee communities.

In March of this year, Councilmembers M. Lorena González and Tim Burgess joined with Mayor Murray in announcing their intent to pass legislation creating the fund. Seattle joins Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago as cities that have created programs to fund legal defense and other immigrant legal services. Unlike in criminal trials, individuals do not have a right to legal representation in immigration proceedings. However, studies have shown that people who were represented in U.S. immigration court were up to ten times more likely to obtain relief.

“Congratulations to each of the awardees of Seattle/King County’s pilot Legal Defense Fund. It is my sincere hope that funding these organizations will provide much needed protections against deportation for families that have built lives in the Seattle area,” said Councilmember M. Lorena González. “These organizations are committed to defending the constitutional rights of immigrants and refugees by providing access to quality civil legal aid. Together, our community navigators and civil legal aid organizations are on the frontline of protecting immigrants and refugees from ongoing attacks by the Trump Administration.”

“Access to a knowledgeable and trained legal advocate is invaluable during trying times, and can mean the difference between families being torn apart or staying together, or determining whether residents are able to continue the livelihoods that they’ve build over decades. We know that legal counsel can change the course of proceedings, especially for immigration procedures in which people are not automatically afforded this resource in the normal course of events.”

The City now begins negotiating the contracts detailing each of the grantees’ scope of work. The grantee organizations are expected to start offering services under the Legal Defense Fund after September 30.

Mayor Ed Murray has proposed to bring ORCA cards to the Seattle Center Monorail, giving commuters, residents, students, and visitors more options to access the iconic Seattle Center campus and Uptown neighborhoods by connecting the Monorail to the region’s transportation system and downtown employment center.

“Seattle Center is becoming more connected to downtown, and the Monorail is the best path between these two important hubs,” said Mayor Murray. “Creating a seamless transit network that ultimately sweeps across downtown will connect Queen Anne to South Seattle, the University of Washington to the Gates Foundation, KeyArena to SeaTac. The Monorail may have been built in a different era, but it plays a vital role for connecting Seattle Center to today’s regional transportation network.”

“At Seattle Center, we strive to create exceptional events and experiences, which begins with outstanding access,” said Robert Nellams, director of Seattle Center. “Integration into the ORCA system will ease the path to our campus for millions of visitors, encouraging greater use of the extraordinary amenities offered throughout the grounds.”

Seattle Center and the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) conducted a year-long study of Monorail ridership and found that over two million people ride the monorail annually. The study also found that by bringing ORCA to the Monorail, ridership will increase between seven to 16 percent over the first three years of implementation due to the increased convenience of taking the Monorail to access Seattle Center and the Uptown neighborhood.

Under the proposal, Seattle Center and SDOT will work with King County Metro (Metro) to become an ORCA affiliate member. As an affiliate member, the Monorail will add ORCA payment to the existing cash payment option and planned credit card option. Once ORCA is implemented, Monorail fare categories will be realigned to reflect those charged by other ORCA agencies (such as Metro). The study projects that after the Monorail institutes its postponed $0.25 fare increase in October of 2017 and implements a new $0.25 charge to cover the additional operating costs, total revenues will cover the expanded ORCA program and see positive net revenues.

]]>Mayor Murray statement on Confederate monument in Lake View Cemeteryhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-confederate-monument-lake-view-cemetery/Wed, 16 Aug 2017 22:21:28 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42211Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement: “We must remove statues and flags that represent this country’s abhorrent history of slavery and oppression based on the color of people’s skin. It is the right thing to do. During this troubling time when neo-Nazis and white power groups are escalating their racist activity, Seattle needs to join […]

“We must remove statues and flags that represent this country’s abhorrent history of slavery and oppression based on the color of people’s skin. It is the right thing to do. During this troubling time when neo-Nazis and white power groups are escalating their racist activity, Seattle needs to join with cities and towns across the country who are sending a strong message by taking these archaic symbols down.

“The monument to Confederate soldiers in the Lake View Cemetery is located on private property. My office has called the cemetery operator to express our concerns regarding the monument. As we continue our ongoing proactive work to be an inclusive and welcoming community, we must also join the fight against the mainstreaming of hateful and despicable far-right political ideology.”

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, Mayor Ed Murray, Port Commissioner John Creighton and SODO business leaders announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that directs up to $10 million from the Port of Seattle towards completing the South Lander Street bridge project and $5 million towards solutions for a broader approach to ease traffic and improve safety on major freight and transit corridors throughout Seattle. The South Lander Street bridge is a critical project serving one of the busiest and most high-risk rail crossings in the country. The project is estimated to cost $123 million, funded through commitments from federal, state, and local partners. Last fall, the project was awarded a $45 million federal grant thanks to the advocacy of Senator Cantwell.

“Washington state loses millions of dollars in economic activity because of train, truck, and urban traffic congestion –at Lander Street alone. By moving freight faster, we can fuel our export economy and create good paying jobs,” said Senator Cantwell. “I’m proud to have helped secure the $45 million from the FASTLANE grant program which I championed in the FAST Act in 2015. I will continue fighting to fix our infrastructure to build strong economic growth and make our country more economically competitive.”

“The City of Seattle, the Port of Seattle, the state of Washington, and federal leaders like United States Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell all came together around this vital infrastructure project because we are all committed to building a thriving, 21st Century economy that channels our booming $38 billon maritime industry,” said Mayor Ed Murray. “I’ve worked on this project dating back to my time in the state legislature, to support our industrial and maritime economy. Our shared economic values of mobility, safety, living wage jobs, and a clean environment all aligned around this bridge to the future.”

“The Safe and Swift Corridor Program will create efficiency for freight, and continue the safe movement of cargo through our gateway,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner John Creighton. “This partnership will improve transportation for commuters, truckers, buses and bicyclists in these critical corridors.”

South Lander Street is an essential east-west corridor serving Port of Seattle freight, King County Metro buses, bicyclists, commuters and pedestrians. The corridor is closed for more than 4.5 hours daily due to rail traffic, impacting approximately 13,000 vehicles.

The corridor is considered one of the most high-risk rail crossings in the state. Since 2011, three fatalities have occurred between trains and pedestrians at the South Lander Street crossing and an average of 485 track violations occur daily as cars, pedestrians and bicycles cross the tracks when the safety gates are deployed. The new four-lane bridge will provide safe connections for 1,400 pedestrians daily, primarily traversing between the SODO light rail station and area employers. This project will remove all at-grade access to the tracks at that location, improving safety for all.

The project is scheduled to break ground in early 2018. For the latest updates on the South Lander Street project, click here.

]]>Mayor Murray to appoint Fred Kiga as Chief of Staffhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-appoint-fred-kiga-chief-staff/Fri, 11 Aug 2017 21:33:11 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42207Kiga to start September 5 and lead staff through transition SEATTLE (August 10, 2017) – Mayor Ed Murray appointed Fred Kiga as chief of staff today. Kiga will take over from current Chief of Staff Mike Fong on September 5, and serve the remainder of Mayor Murray’s term. He comes to City Hall after […]

SEATTLE (August 10, 2017) – Mayor Ed Murray appointed Fred Kiga as chief of staff today. Kiga will take over from current Chief of Staff Mike Fong on September 5, and serve the remainder of Mayor Murray’s term. He comes to City Hall after five years at Vigor Industrial. Ahead of Kiga’s appointment, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced Fong will become the County’s Chief Operating Officer.

“Fred has more than two decades of experience serving our community, from the state level to the private sector and more,” said Mayor Murray. “He will be a fantastic addition to this team as we make this year as productive and successful as our first three. While we are excited for Fred to come aboard, we will miss the steady leadership and wit Mike has brought to this office and to the City. Simply put, Seattle is a better place because of his service and he has been an invaluable part of my administration. I want to thank Mike and wish him well as he moves forward.”

“I am excited to join Mayor Murray’s team as we sprint through the finish line with major initiatives still in play this year,” said Kiga. “From finalizing our homelessness RFP to KeyArena and Seattle Center, and to the Waterfront, affordable housing and our progressive stance against the Trump administration, we have so much more work to do. Seattle has thrived under Mayor Murray’s leadership and I look forward to continuing that work.”

Kiga has served as chief of staff to Gov. Gary Locke and in senior positions at Amazon, Boeing, Russell Investments and Vigor Industrial. He has bachelors and law degrees from the University of Washington and has served on the board of directors for the YMCA of Greater Seattle and Arcora.

Fong leaves City Hall after 16 years of service to the City, including his final two as chief of staff for Mayor Murray. He started as a legislative aide to Councilmember Heidi Wills before joining Councilmember Tom Rasmussen’s office and then Council central staff. Fong first served in the Murray administration as the Deputy Director of the Office of Policy and Innovation and has overseen major milestone as chief of staff, including police accountability legislation, the implementation of Pathways Home to address our homelessness crisis and the shift to using performance metrics to measure success across city investments.

“It has been an honor to serve in Mayor Murray’s administration as we have made incredible strides toward making Seattle a more equitable city that is open to everyone,” Fong said. “I am especially proud of helping craft and shape the Seattle Preschool Program, the Seattle Parks District and the dramatic expansion in enrollment for our Utility Discount Program. But most rewarding has been the opportunity to drive the Mayor’s progressive agenda alongside the incredible staff in the Mayor’s Office, the Cabinet and the thousands of dedicated City employees. Seattle has undergone a dramatic transformation in my time at City Hall from the emergence of completely new neighborhoods like South Lake Union, an eight-minute light rail ride from Pioneer Square to Husky Stadium to a skyline once dotted with yellow cranes to new skyscrapers from SODO to Seattle Center. So much of what we love about our city started with a policy conversation on the corner of 4th and James and I’d like to thank everyone, including Mayor Murray, who have given me the opportunity to be a part of that conversation for the last 16 years.”

Fong’s final day in the Mayor’s office will be September 1. Kiga will officially begin at chief of staff on September 5, with a salary of $181.301

]]>Mayor Murray nominates two to Community Police Commissionhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-nominates-two-community-police-commission/Wed, 09 Aug 2017 19:42:58 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42202Mayor Ed Murray nominated Colleen Echohawk and Emma Catague to serve on the Community Police Commission (CPC), the City’s panel of community members and stakeholders monitoring reform and accountability of the Seattle Police Department. “The Community Police Commission has and will continue to play a vital role in the oversight of the Seattle Police Department,” […]

Mayor Ed Murray nominated Colleen Echohawk and Emma Catague to serve on the Community Police Commission (CPC), the City’s panel of community members and stakeholders monitoring reform and accountability of the Seattle Police Department.

“The Community Police Commission has and will continue to play a vital role in the oversight of the Seattle Police Department,” said Mayor Murray. “We now have landmark police accountability legislation that establishes unprecedented, independent civilian oversight and a permanent community seat at the table. We must ensure constitutional policing is a reality for all residents. Colleen and Emma are proven community leaders that will carry on this mission and help continue to improve the relationship between communities of color and the police.”

Colleen Echohawk is the executive director of the Chief Seattle Club, an enrolled member of the Kithehaki Band of the Pawnee Nation and a member of the Upper Ahtna Athabascan people of Mentasta Lake. She serves on the boards of several local organizations, including KUOW, All Home, Metropolitan Improvement District and the Red Eagle Soaring Native Youth Theatre. Echohawk’s career has focused on meeting the needs of homeless and low-income urban Native people living in Seattle.

“I am honored to serve on the Community Police Commission,” said Echohawk. “I deeply believe in the goodness of our City and hope to assist in moving the conversation and policies forward in a good way; remembering our commitment to lead with a race and equity lens. I have had the privilege of working with the Seattle Police Department to solve safety issues in Pioneer Square and am excited to continue this partnership as a member of the Community Police Commission.”

Emma Catague co-founded the Asian Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center (now known as API Chaya) and is the former executive director of the International District Housing Alliance (now part of InterImCDA). Catague currently works for the Filipino Community of Seattle. During her career, she has worked closely with the Seattle Police Department to diversify hiring of personnel to better reflect the Asian Pacific Islander communities in Seattle. Catague is long-time advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.

“I am excited to be a part of the Community Police Commission,” said Catague. “I look forward to representing the diverse voices of American Pacific Islanders and play a role in helping the Seattle Police Department understand the needs of the community.”

Beginning in March of 2013, the CPC has been providing community input into the effort to reform the Seattle Police Department under the Consent Decree with the U.S. Department of Justice. The CPC continues to make recommendations to improve the department’s accountability system to better support constitutional policing and promote public confidence. In May of this year, City Council passed Mayor Murray’s police accountability legislation, which is now pending before the U.S. District Court overseeing the Consent Decree. The legislation includes a provision making the CPC a permanent body.

]]>City of Seattle, Seattle Public Schools reach agreement on planning for Seattle Centerhttp://murray.seattle.gov/city-seattle-seattle-public-schools-reach-agreement-planning-seattle-center/Fri, 04 Aug 2017 21:57:09 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42198Partnership agreement will lead to collaboration on Memorial Stadium, new high school The City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced a partnership agreement today, to collaborate on the design of SPS properties at Seattle Center, including a new Memorial Stadium and a high school. SPS and the City agreed the design should integrate […]

Partnership agreement will lead to collaboration on Memorial Stadium, new high school

The City of Seattle and Seattle Public Schools (SPS) announced a partnership agreement today, to collaborate on the design of SPS properties at Seattle Center, including a new Memorial Stadium and a high school. SPS and the City agreed the design should integrate into the Seattle Center campus and that they will explore nearby alternative sites for the high school. This agreement comes as the City develops a plan to transform Seattle Center in the 21st century, the Uptown neighborhood undergoes unprecedented growth and the possible redevelopment of KeyArena is being negotiated.

“We have long been partners with Seattle Public Schools, to ensure each of our young people has access to the best education possible,” said Mayor Murray. “That partnership goes even deeper at Seattle Center, where we are mutually dependent on each other. However, as we reimagine Seattle Center and the district identifies ways to build more capacity in our rapidly growing city, we will closely collaborate to ensure our plans best serve SPS and Seattle Center. This agreement shows how SPS and the City can work together to address challenges and build a better Seattle.”

“A new stadium and a new high school are both critical needs for Seattle Public Schools,” said Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland. “We welcome this opportunity to partner with the City on how we can best meet our individual and collective needs.”

The Uptown neighborhood is slated to see significant changes in the coming years as the city rapidly grows. The Seattle Center Century 21 Master Plan will be updated to reflect these changes, including the redevelopment of KeyArena, a new light rail station, the Space Needle renovation and a school. The City and SPS have a team of architects and planners who will be working over the next two months, looking at options that will best serve the needs of SPS and Seattle Center.

]]>Mayor Murray issues statement on passing of Jeff Brotmanhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-issues-statement-passing-jeff-brotman/Wed, 02 Aug 2017 20:26:50 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42192 Today, Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement on the passing of Costco founder Jeff Brotman: “Like the more than 120,000 Costco employees worldwide, I was shocked and saddened by the passing of Jeff Brotman, co-founder of the iconic Pacific Northwest retail company. “The scrappy and innovative company Jeff built into one of the world’s most […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement on the passing of Costco founder Jeff Brotman:

“Like the more than 120,000 Costco employees worldwide, I was shocked and saddened by the passing of Jeff Brotman, co-founder of the iconic Pacific Northwest retail company.

“The scrappy and innovative company Jeff built into one of the world’s most successful retailers reflects our region’s populist values and the Northwest’s entrepreneurial drive; Jeff had the wisdom to take those savvy local values global. I was happy to have known Jeff and I always enjoyed the advice he would give me.

“Jeff and his wife Susan have shown generous dedication to his alma mater, the University of Washington. In particular, they supported the growth and expansion of U.W. Medicine, Costco’s scholarship fund, major gifts to the local arts, and contributions to Tacoma’s Temple Beth El preschool and daycare center, reflecting the charitable and civic values of the Northwest.

“Jeff will be missed, but his impact on our community will last forever. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, his immediate family, and the entire Costco family.”

]]>Mayor Murray proposes improvements to Design Review programhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-proposes-improvements-design-review-program/Tue, 01 Aug 2017 22:27:00 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42190Today, Mayor Ed Murray unveiled a proposal to make it easier and faster for new housing to be built all across Seattle by updating the City’s Design Review program. The legislation strengthens community input on major projects and streamlines the review process to reduce delays and costs associated with new building construction. The legislation fulfills […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray unveiled a proposal to make it easier and faster for new housing to be built all across Seattle by updating the City’s Design Review program. The legislation strengthens community input on major projects and streamlines the review process to reduce delays and costs associated with new building construction. The legislation fulfills a key recommendation from Mayor Murray’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) to generate new housing quicker while reducing construction costs.

“Our economic boom has put a strain on Seattle’s housing stock and overwhelmed our design review process,” said Mayor Murray. “To take on this challenge, we are comprehensively updating the City’s review process for the first time in decades with changes that will help reduce delays and cost overruns that are driving up housing prices and give communities an opportunity to weigh in on projects in their neighborhood. This change will create more housing and more affordable housing in Seattle.”

The proposal will reduce the wait time typical projects undergo with the Design Review process by four to eight weeks. The time saved will create more capacity for the Design Review program to evaluate larger, more complicated projects allowing developments to enter the housing market more quickly. The measure will also require all developers to conduct mandatory early outreach to neighborhood stakeholders to ensure the community has a more impactful say in the design of projects. Currently, neighborhood engagement is voluntary for developers.

“Creating housing that is affordable for Seattle’s most vulnerable residents takes time and we work with finite resources to create environmentally-sustainable, high-quality housing,” said Bill Rumpf, President of Mercy Housing and a member of the HALA committee. “This measure makes the production of affordable housing more efficient, meaning we can build more housing for more people, faster. It also assures a community voice in the outcomes of buildings being developed in their neighborhoods—a win for everyone.”

Key recommendations made in this legislation will:
· Simplify and revise building criteria that triggers design review by basing thresholds solely on the size of a project, which will encourage developers to build more units on a site.
· Create a new “hybrid” process that allows one phase of design review to be handled administratively and the remainder by the Design Review program.
· Require applicants to establish a dialogue with the communities near their projects before they begin design review.
· Allow affordable housing projects to be reviewed through the administrative design review process, speeding up affordable housing production throughout the city

Since the Design Review program was launched in 1994, the Design Review boards have reviewed more than 1,500 projects using citywide and neighborhood-specific design guidelines. Despite a marked increase in reviews in recent years, the Design Review program has not been comprehensively updated since the creation of the program.

]]>Seattle cooling shelter locations announced ahead of heat wavehttp://murray.seattle.gov/seattle-cooling-shelter-locations-announced-ahead-of-heat-wave/Mon, 31 Jul 2017 21:01:46 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=40993The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for Seattle and surrounding areas from Tuesday afternoon through Friday night. The City of Seattle is preparing public spaces to be used by residents to stay cool, as well as tips to stay safe during periods of high heat. Stay hydrated and check on vulnerable […]

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Warning for Seattle and surrounding areas from Tuesday afternoon through Friday night. The City of Seattle is preparing public spaces to be used by residents to stay cool, as well as tips to stay safe during periods of high heat.

Stay hydrated and check on vulnerable relatives and neighbors

Drink plenty of water. Have a beverage like water with you at all times, and sip or drink frequently. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol and large amounts of sugar because they can cause de-hydration.

Check on friends, family members and neighbors who may be elderly or have limited mobility to ensure they are staying cool and have access to drinking water.

The following Seattle Public Library locations are equipped with air conditioning, and serve as cooling centers when the area experiences extreme heat. Please call the individual location before you go for open hours and to verify that the air conditioning is working.

Senior Centers
The following senior centers have air conditioning or are relatively cool and are open to the public. Please call the individual location before you go for open hours and to verify that the facility is cool.

Never leave your animal unattended in direct sunlight. Provide a shady area for retreat, such as a dog house, porch or shady tree, and always provide cool water.

If you leave animals indoors, open screened windows, keep a fan running, provide plenty of water, and, if possible, leave them in a cool location.

Never leave animals unattended in a vehicle. Animals do not perspire like humans; they cool themselves by panting. Seats in vehicles get hot under animals’ feet and prevent them from perspiring through their paws. Temperatures rise quickly leaving them trapped and unable to escape the heat.

If you must travel with your pet, carry water. If a trip requires you to leave your pet in the car at any point, think about saving that for another day. It’s not worth the risk.

Avoid overexerting your animal in hot weather. Exercise is fine when taken in moderation, but extreme heat conditions, obesity, old age, breed and underlying disease can predispose an animal to the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

For birds, take caution and place the bird’s cage away from direct sunlight during the intense heat of the afternoon. Provide water and fruits and vegetables with high moisture content.

]]>Mayor Murray proposes end to subminimum wage for people with disabilitieshttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-proposes-end-subminimum-wage-people-disabilities/Wed, 26 Jul 2017 22:32:30 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42183Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle and South Park) announced the City of Seattle will change the Minimum Wage ordinance to prevent employers from paying any worker with a disability less than Seattle’s minimum wage. The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) will begin rule revisions to the ordinance […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle and South Park) announced the City of Seattle will change the Minimum Wage ordinance to prevent employers from paying any worker with a disability less than Seattle’s minimum wage. The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) will begin rule revisions to the ordinance this month, to propose elimination of special certificates permitting subminimum wages for certain employees with disabilities, which are currently allowed under the law.

“The point of our historic $15 minimum wage law was to build universal equity in Seattle,” said Mayor Murray. “A loophole allowing subminimum wages for disabled workers has undermined that goal. We are correcting that error to make good on our promise and our values.”

“Subminimum wages are an outdated practice that inherently devalue the employee receiving them,” said Councilmember Herbold. “With so few subminimum wage certificates issued to employers, now is the perfect time to end this practice and lead the region in ending this discriminatory policy.”

The ordinance as currently enacted mirrors Washington state law, permitting employers to pay less than minimum wage. The Seattle Commission for People with DisAbilities voted unanimously at its June meeting to end this exemption. OLS Director Dylan Orr, who served for more than five years at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), including two years as chief of staff for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), supports the rule revisions.

“I commend the continued commitment on behalf of the Seattle Commission for People with DisAbilities, the Mayor’s Office, and City Council to act quickly,” said Orr. “We must remind ourselves that when one person or group is marginalized or discriminated against, we all are.”

The proposed subminimum wage revisions are part of a larger effort to update Chapter 90 Rules to reflect legislation passed during the 2017 budget process establishing OLS as an independent office; changes resulting from the Wage Theft Prevention and Harmonization Ordinance of 2015; revisions to Washington State’s minimum wage law resulting from Initiative 1433; and to address service charges and employer payments toward individual employee’s medical benefits plans; and other requests for clarification from the public. OLS issued these revisions for notice and comment in late February 2017. OLS will issue further draft revisions to Chapter 90 Rules for notice and comment in August 2017. The Council will receive and vote on omnibus legislation, including the subminimum wage revisions, from OLS before the end of the year.

]]>Mayor Murray statement on President Trump’s ban on transgender people from serving in the United States militaryhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-president-trumps-ban-transgender-people-serving-united-states-military/Wed, 26 Jul 2017 21:07:25 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42182Today, Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement after President Trump banned transgender people from serving in the United States military: “In the last 24 hours, the Trump administration’s ugly agenda has been on full display and we should not be surprised. This White House has never been interested getting things done for America. They are all about undoing—such as […]

Today we see the Trump administration's ugly agenda on full display. This White House has never been interested getting things done for America. They are all about undoing—whether it's taking healthcare from millions of poor Americans or stripping transgender people of their right to serve in the military. The Trump administration is undoing this nation’s commitment to equity and spirit of community that makes America great. But this city – our city – stands for inclusion and equity and will continue that fight.

Today, Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement after President Trump banned transgender people from serving in the United States military:

“In the last 24 hours, the Trump administration’s ugly agenda has been on full display and we should not be surprised. This White House has never been interested getting things done for America. They are all about undoing—such as taking away healthcare for millions of poor Americans and now stripping transgender people of their rights. The Trump administration is undoing this nation’s commitment to equity and spirit of community that makes America great.

“The President’s attack on transgender people is a shameful, despicable, and unacceptable attempt to marginalize an entire community of Americans. Serving one’s country is a patriotic calling that every single American, including the thousands of transgender people who currently serve, have the right to aspire to. Taking away that right is antithetical to the American value of equality and Seattle’s unwavering commitment to protect and promote the rights of the transgender community. If we’ve learned anything from the chilling history of the 20th century, it is that attempts to marginalize entire populations cannot be taken lightly. This inclusive city does not take it lightly.”

Today, Mayor Ed Murray announced that the City of Seattle and the Seattle Fire Chiefs Association Local 2898 approved a four-year contract agreement. Local 2898 represents 24 Battalion Chiefs and nine Deputy Chiefs.

“Our firefighters keep Seattle safe every single day and today’s announcement allows the fire department to continue to provide world-class fire protection services to this city,” said Mayor Murray. “I want to thank Chief Harold Scoggins and Seattle Fire Chiefs President Tom Walsh for ensuring that discussions related to Battalion 2 were made a priority during contract negotiations.”

“I am excited that through this bargaining process we were able to work with the Fire Chiefs to restore a dedicated Battalion Chief in Battalion 2, our busiest response area in the city,” said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. “This will not only help with incident management, but assist training and readiness preparedness across the downtown area.”

The contract is retroactive, effective Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2018. It includes retroactive annual wage increases of 2.2 percent, 1.1 percent, and 3.5 percent respectively for 2015, 2016, and 2017, and 100 percent of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton Consumer Price Index for 2018. Effective Jan. 1, 2018, the agreement re-establishes Battalion 2 in order to reaffirm the City’s commitment to provide dedicated Battalion Chief coverage to downtown Seattle. During the contract negotiation process, both parties took a collaborative approach to ensure significant priorities were met. The parties came to agreement on general expectations for employee conduct and operational efficiencies such as assignment of staff to special events, including Seafair and the PrideFest, and reducing the minimum hours required to be off-duty for certain schedule changes.

]]>Mayor Murray statement on Consent Decree status conferencehttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-consent-decree-status-conference/Tue, 18 Jul 2017 22:33:10 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42167Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement after a status conference on the Consent Decree, held by U.S. District Court Judge James Robart: “Judge Robart made it clear today that ensuring constitutional policing needs to be Seattle’s top priority. Five years ago, when the previous administration was dragging its feet on meaningful reform, the relationship […]

Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement after a status conference on the Consent Decree, held by U.S. District Court Judge James Robart:

“Judge Robart made it clear today that ensuring constitutional policing needs to be Seattle’s top priority. Five years ago, when the previous administration was dragging its feet on meaningful reform, the relationship between police and Seattle’s communities of color was fractured. While we still have work to do, we have made significant progress since 2010, which the Court confirmed today.

“We have comprehensive, landmark police accountability legislation that establishes unprecedented independent civilian oversight through subpoena power and a permanent community seat at the table. And we can do more.

“Earlier this week, I ordered patrol officers and sergeants to wear body cameras so we can have a critical resource to resolve facts in police shootings, a standard tool that would have been invaluable in the Charleena Lyles investigation. We have heard Judge Robart’s frustration with the delays in the current collective bargaining process. His support for body-worn cameras and my executive order yesterday are reminders that we are moving in the right direction.”

]]>Mayor Murray transmits legislation to City Council for improved Civic Square project agreement with Bosa Developmenthttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-transmits-legislation-city-council-improved-civic-square-project-agreement-bosa-development/Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:58:17 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42163Today, Mayor Ed Murray transmitted to City Council legislation authorizing the sale of the Civic Square project to Bosa Development to build a residential tower with street-level retail space and a 25,000 square-foot public plaza. The agreement requires Bosa pay at least $5.7 million toward affordable housing through the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program and […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray transmitted to City Council legislation authorizing the sale of the Civic Square project to Bosa Development to build a residential tower with street-level retail space and a 25,000 square-foot public plaza. The agreement requires Bosa pay at least $5.7 million toward affordable housing through the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program and directs $16 million to equitable development through the City’s Equitable Development Initiative (EDI), which helps ensure Seattle’s existing residents and businesses also enjoy the benefits of development around the city, rather than being displaced by it.

“As Seattle grows, we are working to ensure that happens in a way that is equitable, benefiting everyone who lives and works here,” said Mayor Murray. “This new Civic Square project agreement retains the public plaza envisioned nearly a decade ago, and more importantly provides significant funding that the previous agreement did not. While we continue to revitalize our downtown core, adding open space and housing, the funding will support additional affordable housing and investments in communities most at risk for displacement.”

The agreement with Bosa Development replaces a 2007 agreement with Triad Civic Center LLC, which had been hindered by the economic recession and lack of capital partners. Under the terms of the new agreement, Triad will assign all of its interest in the existing purchase, sale and development agreement to Bosa Development; Triad and the City will release one another from liability.

The Bosa deal provides much more in return than the agreement with Triad, where the City would have transferred the land in exchange for public benefits in the form of the plaza, its improvements and associated easements. That deal was valued at $25 million, but there would have been no money changing hands at closing and when it came to the plaza, the City would have owned, operated and maintained it at a projected loss. Under the new agreement, the City is transferring the land to Bosa, which is constructing essentially the same public access improvements, and paying the City $16 million in addition to the required MHA payment. An easement will provide for public use as previously intended, yet the City will no longer be responsible for ongoing operating and maintenance costs.

“Bosa Development is excited to have an opportunity to contribute a signature development on a keystone site in downtown Seattle,” said Ryan Bosa, President of Bosa Development.“We believe Bosa Development is the right group to design and construct a dynamic mixed-use project that will energize Seattle’s commercial core and change the way pedestrians experience this area. The public plaza will become a destination for workers and residents from all the surrounding neighborhoods.”

Whereas Triad’s project included office space, Bosa’s will consist of a single residential tower with street-level retail and a public plaza. The City retains the right to approve the final plaza design. The project redesign requires Bosa apply for a new Master Use Permit (MUP); assuming a timely MUP approval process, construction is scheduled to commence by Jan. 1, 2019.

Funding for the City’s Equitable Development Initiative will be established with the $16 million in proceeds from the sale to help ensure Seattle’s existing residents and businesses also enjoy the benefits of development. These funds will go to projects such as a Multicultural Community Center for longtime residents that builds on local cultural assets, or a job-training program focused on good-paying jobs in the community. The EDI is led by the Office of Planning and Community Development.

The additional $5.7 million MHA payment will go to the Office of Housing to leverage for building affordable housing.

]]>Mayor Murray signs Executive Order requiring body cameras on patrol officershttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-signs-executive-order-requiring-body-cameras-patrol-officers/Mon, 17 Jul 2017 19:49:29 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42159Today, Mayor Ed Murray, working with City Attorney Pete Holmes, signed an Executive Order requiring all Seattle Police patrol officers to wear body-worn video cameras (body cameras). The order requires the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to equip West Precinct bike patrol officers with cameras by July 22 and all West Precinct officers by September 30, […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray, working with City Attorney Pete Holmes, signed an Executive Order requiring all Seattle Police patrol officers to wear body-worn video cameras (body cameras). The order requires the Seattle Police Department (SPD) to equip West Precinct bike patrol officers with cameras by July 22 and all West Precinct officers by September 30, putting the department on track to fully implement a program that has undergone multiple pilot programs. All other officers will get body cameras on a monthly precinct by precinct basis. Mayor Murray is directing prompt implementation of the program to ensure no further significant uses of force by police officers go undocumented by a video record.

“Body cameras improve behavior and de-escalation on both sides of the camera,” said Mayor Murray. “We have taken far too long to fully implement the body camera program due to legislative gridlock—it is past time to move forward. This order will get cameras on officers on the street, so we know what happens during interactions with the public. This level of accountability is good for both officers and the public, and will help build trust in a time where the community, particularly the African American community, is hurting.”

“Body-worn cameras are known to be an effective police accountability tool,” said City Attorney Holmes. “They will not only improve community trust of our police department, they will also provide a measure of protection for our officers as well. This action today by Mayor Murray will help to ensure that SPD deploys the cameras as soon as possible while continuing to bargain with our police unions in good faith.”

Mayor Murray first proposed funding for body cameras in his 2016 budget, months after the City was awarded a $600,000 federal grant. The City then began a stakeholder and community engagement process as part of a 2016 pilot. A March 2016 survey conducted by the Community Police Commission and SPD, as a part of its 2016 body-worn camera pilot program, found that 86 percent of community members would want officers to be wearing body cameras when they responded to a call for service. Additionally, a study commissioned by the Federal Monitor overseeing the City’s compliance with the federally mandated Consent Decree, found that 92 percent of Seattleites want to see body cameras on officers.

Major cities such as Oakland, Denver, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Detroit, and localities like Spokane currently have cameras on officers. Today’s announcement adds Seattle to that list and helps move the City closer to achieving the principles behind police reform: increased accountability and improved relationships with the community.

]]>Mayor Murray, Councilmember González announce selection process for OPA Director, Inspector Generalhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-councilmember-gonzalez-announce-selection-process-opa-director-inspector-general/Fri, 14 Jul 2017 21:21:50 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42152Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide) announced the selection process and search committee for the director of the Office of Police Accountability and the civilian Inspector General, the first under newly-passed police accountability legislation. The search committee and its two subcommittees have been formed with representatives from the Office […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide) announced the selection process and search committee for the director of the Office of Police Accountability and the civilian Inspector General, the first under newly-passed police accountability legislation. The search committee and its two subcommittees have been formed with representatives from the Office of the Mayor, City Council, the Community Police Commission (CPC) and the Seattle Police Department (SPD), with multiple members serving on both committees. The City has posted a website (www.seattle.gov/civilian-oversight) to receive public comment during the search period. Police accountability legislation, proposed by Mayor Murray in February and passed by Council in May, created the most civilian oversight of the department in city history.

“Building trust with the community requires independent oversight of the police department and we are seeking leaders who will help us continue our path toward becoming a model of 21st century policing,” said Mayor Murray. “Each step we take to implement these historic reforms gets us closer to that goal and helps fulfill our promise to make lasting, institutional change. Seattle has led the nation in building the model for constitutional policing, but we know we have work to do and bringing in leaders for these independent and civilian-led offices will be a major step.”

“My vision for Seattle’s police accountability system – and for reforming SPD – has had at its center restoring trust between the police and communities most impacted by policing,” said Councilmember González. “Establishing a new Office of Inspector General will require a trusted leader who understands the operational complexities of a major city police department and the need to ensure that Seattle’s system of police accountability is constantly reforming even after the federal police monitor is long gone.”

“Now that Seattle has passed landmark police accountability reforms, it’s time to continue the work to make sure the reforms are successful. Success or failure will rest in large part on the shoulders of the people chosen to lead the OPA and new OIG,” said Isaac Ruiz of the CPC. “It is essential that Seattle pick leaders who understand how police practices can negatively affect communities of color and who will be respectful and responsive to community concerns.”

Throughout the search process, the public is encouraged to comment on their desired qualifications for candidates for each job, through the website, by contacting Mayor Murray, Councilmember González or the CPC, or by attending a public meeting co-hosted by the three offices on August 2. Additional details for the joint hearing will be released in the coming weeks.

The search committee is comprised of 10 members, with two subcommittees having seven each. The OPA subcommittee is co-chaired by the Office of the Mayor and the CPC, and the Inspector General subcommittee is co-chaired by Councilmember González and a member of the CPC. The search committee will meet once as a whole to review requirements of the legislation, receive a briefing on human resources and legal issues, and develop recruitment strategies. The coordinated effort reflects the accountability system created by the legislation, while maintaining the integrity of each appointing authority’s independence to appoint OPA director and the Inspector General.

Committee members are:

OPA Subcommittee (OPA Interview Team)

IG Subcommittee (IG Interview Team)

CPC: Isaac Ruiz

CPC: Isaac Ruiz

CPC : Lisa Daugaard

CPC: Enrique González

Mayor: Bernard Melekian

Mayor: Bernard Melekian

Mayor: Beth Takekawa

Council: CM Gonzalez

Mayor: Monisha Harrell

Council: CM Burgess

Council: CM Lorena González

Council: CP Harrell

SPD : Assistant Chief Lesley Cordner

SPD: Assistant Chief Lesley Cordner

More information, including the public comment page, can be found at the website. The search will begin immediately and last several months.

]]>Mayor Murray unveils affordability and growth plan, Arts and Culture District for Uptown neighborhoodhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-unveils-affordability-growth-plan-arts-culture-district-uptown-neighborhood/Wed, 12 Jul 2017 21:31:38 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42143Today, Mayor Ed Murray unveiled a plan for the future of Uptown, implementing requirements that will generate 600 new affordable homes for low-income people, providing capacity for more market-rate housing and jobs, supporting new spaces for cultural organizations and enacting the community’s vision for the future of the neighborhood. Additionally, Mayor Murray announced Uptown will […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray unveiled a plan for the future of Uptown, implementing requirements that will generate 600 new affordable homes for low-income people, providing capacity for more market-rate housing and jobs, supporting new spaces for cultural organizations and enacting the community’s vision for the future of the neighborhood. Additionally, Mayor Murray announced Uptown will become Seattle’s third Arts and Cultural District, providing resources to preserve, strengthen and expand arts and cultural spaces. Uptown has long been a cultural destination in Seattle, with over 30 arts, cultural and educational organizations located in the Seattle Center campus and surrounding neighborhood.

“By coupling growth with affordability, we are ensuring that Uptown’s booming culture and economy can be a model for community building rather than a model for gentrification,” said Mayor Murray. “With this announcement, we are ensuring everyone has access to housing in this local hub of arts, culture, transit, green space and jobs. Our housing policies must be about inclusion—this proposal makes good on that goal.”

Over the next 20 years, the proposed zoning changes will result in an estimated 600 new income-restricted and rent-restricted homes for low-income residents through the City’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program, a key recommendation of the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda. Under MHA, Uptown developers will be required to include affordable homes in between five percent and 10 percent of each building, or contribute between $8.00 and $29.75 per square foot to the Seattle Office of Housing to support affordable housing, depending on the specific location in the neighborhood.

“Uptown is one of our fastest growing urban centers, and borders on Seattle Center, one of the great civic spaces of our city,” said Councilmember Sally Bagshaw (District 7, Pioneer Square to Magnolia). “With its connections to Downtown, the Waterfront and the growing Belltown and South Lake Union neighborhoods, Uptown is already becoming a vibrant business and residential center. Not surprisingly, rents are rising rapidly in this neighborhood, and we clearly need affordable housing right in Uptown. Through this plan, hundreds of developer-funded affordable housing units will be built. I am committed to working with Uptown leaders to ensure we are using a suite of tools to create the housing we need.”

“I am excited for the implementation of MHA in the Uptown neighborhood. Through these zoning changes, we can ensure that more people have access to this vibrant neighborhood,” said Councilmember Rob Johnson (District 4, Northeast Seattle). “As an area with great access to job centers, open space, transportation, as well as arts, culture and civic institutions like the Seattle Center and KeyArena, its density and amenity mix support a high level of livability. It is important that we continue to implement MHA and create additional affordable housing in our communities so that our artists, nonprofit employees, and workers of all wages can continue to contribute to the character of Seattle.”

For more than three years, Seattle’s Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) worked with community members to envision a vibrant future for the Uptown neighborhood. The proposal includes neighborhood priorities, such as design standards, that support vibrant streetscapes, incentives for new arts and cultural spaces, improved connections to Seattle Center, and enhanced walkability as outlined in the Uptown Urban Design Framework (UDF).

“The Urban Design Framework in this ordinance will help create the neighborhood where we want to live and work as Uptown grows,” said Deborah Frausto, chair of the Uptown Alliance UDF Committee. “We still have work to do in creating more possibilities for open space, affordable and workforce housing, and walkable community that’s safe and welcoming. Our community, with its generosity of spirit and gifts of time and expertise, will continue to stay involved and share ideas of what they want their neighborhood to be like.”

Mayor Murray’s proposal allows new building heights for many areas of the neighborhood already zoned for multi-family residential and mixed-use commercial buildings, providing additional capacity for market-rate and income-restricted housing within walking distance of South Lake Union, Belltown and Downtown. The rezone proposal includes an increase in building height along the Mercer Street Corridor from the current 40 feet to 85 feet, the same as the current height limit on the Seattle Center campus. The iconic public views of the Space Needle and the Seattle skyline as seen from Kerry Park, Bhy Kracke Park and other key view corridors are protected under the proposal.

The triangle bounded by Broad, Aurora and Denny could feature taller, thinner, well-spaced, 16-story residential towers. Other areas of the Uptown Urban Center currently zoned for multi-family residential or mixed-use would receive one or two stories of additional height. No zoning changes are proposed outside of the Uptown Urban Center or in nearby single-family neighborhoods.

Additionally, the rezone will create incentives for new arts and cultural spaces, giving smaller organizations a chance to operate in or near Seattle Center, which attracts visitors from around the world. The rezone will also help preserve historic buildings by allowing them to sell unused development rights.

In the last two years, 20 King County Metro bus lines that serve the neighborhood have expanded service because of voter-approved Proposition 1, improving transit speed and reliability. The Seattle Department of Transportation has updated signal controls on Mercer, Roy, and Valley streets to be more sensitive to real-time traffic conditions. Similar signal upgrades are planned for Denny Way. New street connections across Aurora at John, Thomas and Harrison will ease pressure on Mercer and Denny after the SR-99 tunnel opens.

Uptown Arts and Cultural District

Since the 1962 World’s Fair, Uptown has been a hub of Seattle arts and culture with the largest concentration of diverse organizations that range from independent artists, to internationally renowned classical arts, to innovative theater and visual arts, to ethnic festivals from around the world, to major music concerts. The Arts and Cultural District designation recognizes the culturally rich neighborhood and seeks to enhance its character.

“We are thrilled to be recognized as an official Arts and Cultural District,” said Cyrus Despres, co-chair and president of the Uptown Arts & Culture Coalition. “Uptown is experiencing the same growing pains as the rest of Seattle, and we are committed to enhancing our cultural experiences and evolving our identity as a welcoming home for the arts in Seattle.”

The designation includes access to the Creative Placemaking Toolkit, a suite of tools designed to preserve, strengthen, and expand arts and cultural spaces. The district will have access to $50,000 to be used toward the toolkit’s programs and resources for right-of-way identifiers, wayfinding, busking and plein air painting, art historic markers, pop-up activations, and parklets. The toolkit was designed to support artists, art spaces, and neighborhoods in maintaining and investing in their cultural assets.

]]>City of Seattle Signs Net Neutrality Letter and Joins Other Cities in Protesthttp://murray.seattle.gov/city-seattle-signs-net-neutrality-letter-joins-cities-protest/Wed, 12 Jul 2017 16:36:02 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42141Today, Mayor Ed Murray joined mayors of Boston, New York and San Francisco in sending a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, encouraging him to keep the internet open. The letter articulates net neutrality rules and recognizes the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all internet content to be enjoyed […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray joined mayors of Boston, New York and San Francisco in sending a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, encouraging him to keep the internet open. The letter articulates net neutrality rules and recognizes the importance of maintaining a level playing field for all internet content to be enjoyed by all users, regardless of their internet provider. This letter is part of the Day of Action to Save Net Neutrality.

“Individuals should be free to access the Internet without discriminatory practices applied to services and websites,” said Mayor Murray. “I encourage everyone to speak up and let the FCC know these rules should be kept in place. This is about equity and the ability for everyone to access the internet.”

In February 2015, the FCC ruled in favor of net neutrality by reclassifying broadband as a common carrier under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934. Those rules went into effect in June of 2015. Now, the FCC is taking comment from the public until August 16, 2017 on a possible repeal of net neutrality.

“The fight for strong net neutrality protections is important for the internet to remain a space for creativity, innovation and free speech,” said City of Seattle Chief Technology Officer Michael Mattmiller. “Seattle joins a long list of cities and organizations that are championing a stand against a potential heavy-handed approach to Internet rules by the FCC.”

The FCC has already received nearly 5 million comments from the public. The City of Seattle encourages residents to comment, call or email the FCC and tell them to keep net neutrality.

Beginning tomorrow, the City’s new Navigation Center, an enhanced shelter that accepts people with pets, partners, and possessions, as well as substance abuse disorders, will accept referrals from the Navigation Team. Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) Executive Director Daniel Malone toured the facility, located at the Pearl Warren Building. The Navigation Center is modeled after a similar facility in San Francisco, which caters to those living unsheltered who face barriers to traditional shelter.

“This is a major milestone in the City’s effort to make our homelessness services system laser focused on meeting individualized needs of people,” said Mayor Murray. “That’s how you build a pathway to stable housing. Through collaboration with service providers and community partners, we are now one step closer to putting people experiencing homelessness on that path.”

In June 2016 Mayor Murray signed an Executive Order directing the creation of a low-barrier, one-stop service center for unsheltered individuals to receive the customized support they need to move from the streets back into permanent homes.

The Navigation Center is modeled on the San Francisco Navigation Center, the first of its kind, 24/7, dormitory-style living facility that provides people living outside with shower, bathroom, laundry and dining facilities, a place to store their belongings, as well as round-the-clock case management, mental and behavioral health services, and connections to benefit programs and housing, all in one location.

The Seattle Navigation Center will be particularly suited to people who choose to stay in nearby encampments rather than shelters, where partners, pets or possessions are not typically allowed. The center will prioritize placement for currently unsheltered individuals who have been referred through the Navigation Team, comprised of specially trained social workers and SPD outreach efforts.

The DESC, in partnership with Operation Sack Lunch, were selected through a competitive process to operate Navigation Center. DESC will operate the 24-hour, low-barrier shelter while Operation Sack Lunch will provide food and meal support.

]]>Mayor Murray statement on Council passage of Seattle high-earner income taxhttp://murray.seattle.gov/42128-2/Mon, 10 Jul 2017 22:43:36 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42128Today, Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement after City Council unanimously voted to create a city income tax on high-income earners, shifting Seattle to a more progressive and sustainable tax structure. The legislation will apply a 2.25 percent tax rate on annual income over $250,000 for individuals, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement after City Council unanimously voted to create a city income tax on high-income earners, shifting Seattle to a more progressive and sustainable tax structure. The legislation will apply a 2.25 percent tax rate on annual income over $250,000 for individuals, or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. The tax will not affect any income earned below these thresholds.

“Seattle is challenging this state’s antiquated and unsustainable tax structure by passing a progressive income tax,” said Mayor Murray. “Our goal is to replace our regressive tax system with a new formula for fairness, while ensuring Seattle stands up to President Trump’s austere budget that cuts transportation, affordable housing, healthcare, and social services. This is a fight for economic stability, equity, and justice.”

An estimated $140 million in new annual revenue generated by the income tax would allow the City to lower the burden associated with property taxes and other regressive taxes, replace federal funding potentially lost through President Trump’s budget cuts, and enhance public services such as housing, education, transit, and/or create green jobs while meeting the City’s carbon reduction goals.

]]>Mayor Murray statement on I-1552 failure to qualify for ballothttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-1552-failure-qualify-ballot/Sat, 08 Jul 2017 05:02:27 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42127Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement after I-1552 failed to receive enough signatures to qualify for the ballot: “It was a decades-long journey to help people get to know the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, but ever since that dam burst and people understood our humanity, they have never turned back. Twenty years […]

Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement after I-1552 failed to receive enough signatures to qualify for the ballot:

“It was a decades-long journey to help people get to know the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, but ever since that dam burst and people understood our humanity, they have never turned back. Twenty years ago, I added the transgender community to those who would eventually be protected by our non-discrimination laws and this outcome shows – once again – that our state’s voters have no interest in moving backward to the days when people were treated differently when trying to rent a house or get a job. Washington state is again setting an example for the country on how to treat everyone equally, respectfully and inclusively.”

]]>Employers step up with opportunities for Seattle’s youthhttp://murray.seattle.gov/employers-step-opportunities-seattles-youth/Thu, 06 Jul 2017 19:16:41 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42124Today, Mayor Ed Murray celebrates the start day of the Summer 2017 Internship season by thanking new corporate partners and City departments that are supporting the Mayor’s Youth Employment Initiative (MYEI). Support for the initiative ranges from hosting interns to contributing funds to support wages for youth placed at other organizations. To date, more than […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray celebrates the start day of the Summer 2017 Internship season by thanking new corporate partners and City departments that are supporting the Mayor’s Youth Employment Initiative (MYEI). Support for the initiative ranges from hosting interns to contributing funds to support wages for youth placed at other organizations. To date, more than $500,000 has been raised to support interns’ wages, transportation, and other support, in addition to employers who host and pay the interns directly.

“As we work to ensure that all Seattle youth are prepared to thrive in tomorrow’s economy, one of the most important experiences a young person can have is on-the-job training and connections to a professional network,” said Mayor Murray. “In a city with so much economic growth and opportunity, we can’t leave Seattle’s young people behind, particularly youth of color. By providing opportunities to Seattle’s youth, employers are changing lives. I want to thank those who have stepped forward and challenge more companies and organizations to get involved.”

Building on decades of success of the Seattle Youth Employment Program (SYEP), in 2015 Mayor Murray launched the MYEI, which connects Seattle youth ages 14-24 with paid internships and employment opportunities. Seattle youth ages 16-19 have an unemployment rate around 21 percent, while unemployment for youth ages 20-24 hovers around 10 percent, far above the overall city rate of 2.9 percent. As a result, Seattle youth are missing out on vital work experience and income, which hurts lifetime earnings.

“JPMorgan Chase is committed to helping communities make a long-term investment in increasing the number of available summer jobs and turning those jobs into employment opportunities down the road,” said Phyllis Campbell, Chairman, JPMorgan Chase, Pacific Northwest. “We feel our support of the Summer Youth Employment Program is an important way we are helping to build the long-term success of the local economy. Young people are facing an employment crisis—too many cannot find summer jobs and, as a result, they’re missing out on a critical opportunity to be personally and professionally successful in the future.”

“We are excited to participate in the Mayor’s Youth Employment Initiative this summer,” said Point B Inc. Managing Director for People Jill Going. “For Point B, we embrace any opportunity to meet the future talent pool of Seattle, expose them to a career in consulting, and inspire them to be their best. We also recognize the strategic nature of this initiative as one way to help solve the growing workforce needs in our booming economy. By building a pipeline between the emerging workforce and local businesses, we are planting seeds for future employment. By providing an opportunity to work, students get inspired, build goals and hopefully channel their education into skills that our city needs.”

The need for summer employment opportunities continues to grow. In 2015, the initiative connected more than 2,000 youth with life-changing internship opportunities. The City enlisted Educurious in 2016 to include the private sector in the solution and saw a 74 percent increase in the number of positions filled, totaling 3,484. This year, as the initiative continues to grow, we are strengthening our partnerships with the community, including Seattle Public Schools, Juma Ventures, YouthCare, and YouthForce.

Earlier this year, Mayor Murray announced a new directive extending participation in MYEI to all City departments.

]]>Mayor Murray, Human Services Department announce $30 million request for proposals for homeless serviceshttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-human-services-department-announce-30-million-request-proposals-homeless-services/Wed, 28 Jun 2017 19:02:14 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42089Today, Mayor Ed Murray announced a request for proposals (RFP) for $30 million of funding for homelessness services, the first time the City of Seattle has competitively bid its homeless services contracts in more than a decade. The RFP being issued by the Human Services Department (HSD) reflects the changes made under the City’s plan […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray announced a request for proposals (RFP) for $30 million of funding for homelessness services, the first time the City of Seattle has competitively bid its homeless services contracts in more than a decade. The RFP being issued by the Human Services Department (HSD) reflects the changes made under the City’s plan to address homelessness, Pathways Home, including a major focus on getting people into permanent housing. The RFP is for funding available for 2018.

“After asking national experts what wasn’t working in our homelessness services system, we are taking the major step of rebidding our contracts for the first time in a decade,” said Mayor Murray. “We are taking our system from a series of disconnected, boutique services, to a coordinated effort to connect people with what they need and get them into permanent housing. In addition to the Navigation Team, the Navigation Center and our ongoing work to address this crisis like the emergency it is, this step will help these services be more effective and impactful into the future.”

Awards made through the RFP process will be based on the key performance targets and data used by the City, including how many people are exiting homelessness into permanent housing; how long people are spending in the homelessness services system; how many people return to being homeless; how many people are entering homelessness; and ensuring we are using all available resources such as shelter beds. The funds will invest in prevention, diversion, outreach and engagement, emergency services (such as shelters), transitional housing, rapid rehousing/rental subsidies, and permanent supportive housing.

The RFP is just one tool the City is using in coordination with King County and United Way of King County to help the region address homelessness and move people into housing. All three organizations are funders who have agreed upon the performance targets listed above. By aligning across all priorities, these funders are better able to tie funding to needed outcomes. Importantly, proposals that demonstrate collaboration among programs to achieve results will receive additional credit in the review process.

HSD has been working with agencies and organizations over the past year to prepare for the outcome-based targets outlined in the RFP.

“Through this RFP, the City joins with other major funders in the area to shift from a collection of programs that are contributing to those most in need in our community, to a more integrated system that is laser-focused on supporting people who are homelessness in becoming stable and housed,” said Catherine L. Lester, Director of HSD. “The RFP looks across all of our investments with an eye toward both performance and to addressing institutionalized racism that too often contributes to homelessness.”

In conjunction with the Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative (RSJI), HSD has developed the RFP to reflect a commitment to funding culturally-responsive services that create positive outcomes for people in need. Agencies applying for HSD funding through this RFP must demonstrate the ability to institute these principles through routine delivery of services that are person-centered, culturally competent, responsive, relevant, and accessible.

Additionally, HSD has engaged with the community in preparing the RFP itself. Councilmembers and their staffs, provider boards and coalitions, philanthropy partners, and individuals who have experience living homeless were among the audiences for more than 60 presentations given during the development of the RFP. The feedback from these sessions, as well as the results of the 2016 Needs Assessment survey that HSD conducted of more than 1,000 people living homeless, the 2015 Homeless Investment Analysis, as well as the Barbara Poppe and Focus Strategies reports were also used to inform the RFP development.

Scoring for rapid rehousing, transitional housing, emergency shelter, and permanent supportive housing will be weighted 40 percent on past performance based on the data agencies provided from January 2017 to June 2017, and 60 percent on their application and budget responses in the RFP. Other projects will be scored entirely on the application and budget responses. Applicants also will have an interview with rating panels to discuss their proposals as part of the review process. Rating panels will include city staff with knowledge of the various service areas, other public funders, staff from philanthropic institutions, and people with lived experience of homelessness.

The results-driven contracting model identified in the RFP was developed through the City’s collaboration with Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, which contributed to the development of a template for scoring proposals. This follows a pilot contracting process involving some $8.5 million in homeless services contracts administered in 2015-16. Results of the pilot led to HSD’s decision to apply successful elements of the model to all of its homeless contracts. The performance pilot was part of What Works Cities—an initiative to help 100 mid-sized U.S. cities enhance their use of data and evidence to improve services, inform local decision-making, and engage residents. This work was recently showcased in a film about the City’s efforts to improve contract performance of homeless service providers.

The deadline for RFP submission is Sept. 9 and final awards will be announced in December. Contracts will cover the 2018 fiscal year that begins in January.

HSD will host three information sessions for prospective applicants. These information sessions are:

]]>Mayor Ed Murray announces Utility Discount Program expansionhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-ed-murray-announces-utility-discount-program-expansion/Thu, 22 Jun 2017 21:03:44 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42081Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle and South Park) announced the expansion of the Utility Discount Program (UDP) to more than 3,000 new Seattle City Light (SCL) and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) customers. This expansion is the result of a June 1, 2017 Director’s Rule change allowing Medicare premium […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle and South Park) announced the expansion of the Utility Discount Program (UDP) to more than 3,000 new Seattle City Light (SCL) and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) customers. This expansion is the result of a June 1, 2017 Director’s Rule change allowing Medicare premium expenses to be deducted from Social Security, Social Security Disability Income and Supplemental Security Income. Previously, Medicare Part B premiums were deducted from a senior’s Social Security check but the premium amount was included in their income calculation, causing them to exceed the income threshold to qualify for the discount. Allowing this premium to be deducted from the income calculation makes an estimated 3,000 seniors now eligible to receive utility discounts.

“Housing costs are the largest expense seniors face in our growing city and utility bills are a considerable part of that burden,” said Mayor Murray. “We have doubled enrollment in the Utility Discount Program, and today’s announcement expands eligibility to thousands more seniors. This will help more seniors stay in Seattle and keep the city affordable.”

“Today we’re able to lend a helping hand to people who rely on Medicare Part B to get by,” said Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle & South Park). “When a City Light customer informed me her mother made $150 too much to qualify for discounted utilities because the City was calculating her $1,000 in Medicare Part B benefits as ‘income,’ I knew it needed an immediate fix. I’m thankful for our utilities for implementing this common-sense fix.”

This move is a part of Mayor Murray’s commitment to address Seattle’s growing income inequality and remove institutional barriers between services and those in need. In 2014, Mayor Murray challenged City Departments to double the number of households enrolled in the UDP from 14,000 to 28,000 by the end of 2018. This goal was achieved in 2016—two years ahead of schedule—by removing application barriers for households already enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and auto-enrolling households who live in subsidized housing. Today, 33,000 utility customers are enrolled in the program.

The UDP provides those who qualify a 60 percent discount on SCL and 50 percent on SPU bills. The average UDP customer household receive an average of $1,200 in annual discounts on utility bills.

]]>Mayor Ed Murray announces Fair Chance Housing policy to ensure access to opportunity and housing for allhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-ed-murray-announces-fair-chance-housing-policy-ensure-access-opportunity-housing/Wed, 21 Jun 2017 21:58:31 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42076Mayor Ed Murray sent legislation to Council this week aiming to increase racial equity in housing to ensure everyone has access to opportunity. Among other steps, Fair Chance Housing would prevent landlords from screening applicants based on criminal convictions more than two years old, and prohibit the use of advertising language that categorically excludes people […]

Mayor Ed Murray sent legislation to Council this week aiming to increase racial equity in housing to ensure everyone has access to opportunity. Among other steps, Fair Chance Housing would prevent landlords from screening applicants based on criminal convictions more than two years old, and prohibit the use of advertising language that categorically excludes people with arrests or conviction records. Today’s announcement is a recognition of years of work by the community supporting a policy that will increase racial equity in access to housing, help keep families together, and build stronger, more inclusive communities.

“The growth in the number of Americans with criminal records has created a crisis of housing inaccessibility that is disproportionately felt by people of color,” said Mayor Murray. “Not only has our criminal justice system punished Black Americans disproportionately, they continue to be punished by barriers to housing that cut off access to opportunity. Ensuring people have fair access to housing is about equity and about ensuring everyone has the ability contribute in our society, including getting a good job and raising a family.”

An estimated 1 in 3 Americans has a criminal record and nearly half of all children in the United States have at least one parent with a criminal record. It is estimated that 30 percent of Seattle residents over 18, or more than 173,000 people, have an arrest or conviction, with 7 percent having a felony record. Each of these people face significant barriers to housing because of current policy, denying them access to a basic need that would help them be successful. One study found that 43 percent of Seattle landlords are inclined to reject a tenant with a criminal history. All Home, which coordinates homelessness services for King County, found that 1 in 5 people who leave prison become homeless shortly after.

The Fair Chance Housing ordinance would prevent landlords from screening applicants based on criminal convictions older than two years; arrests that did not lead to a conviction; convictions that have been expunged, vacated or sealed; juvenile records; or status of a juvenile tenant on the sex offender registry. Landlords will not be able to use language in advertisements that categorically excludes people with arrests or conviction records and must provide a business justification for rejecting an applicant based on their criminal history. Fair Chance Housing is one of the dozens of recommendations in Mayor Murray’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) meant to address public safety and racial equity in housing by lowering barriers for those re-entering society, who are disproportionately people of color.

“You can’t say everyone has a fair chance to succeed when we have a criminal justice system that disproportionately arrests and convicts people of color,” said Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle & South Park). “Fair Chance Housing is about giving people fair opportunities. This legislation is about addressing a homelessness crisis that we have created ourselves because we are not giving everyone a fair chance.”

Seattle has previously taken steps to lower barriers to housing, a key recommendation in HALA after years of community advocacy, and an essential component of the City’s plan to address homelessness, Pathways Home. These include Source of Income Discrimination legislation that protects people using alternative sources of income to pay rent and the coordination with funders of homeless services to reduce and standardize screening criteria for programs. People impacted by previous policies have advocated for the City to address these barriers for years, including hundreds of who spoke at community forums and the Fair Chance Housing Stakeholder Committee convened last year. Today’s announcement is the culmination of that work, as the City works to lower barriers to housing and ensure Seattle remains affordable and accessible.

“If part of the American Dream is to own a home, what message are we sending to people who cannot even rent, even after they have paid their debt to society?” said Augustine Cita, Workforce Development Director, Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle. “We need to fix that.”

Today, Mayor Ed Murray marked the 3-year anniversary of Seattle’s historic $15 per hour minimum wage ordinance by visiting local small businesses across the city. Since the passage of the minimum wage ordinance, Seattle’s economy continues to grow with job creation on the rise and workers taking home more income. The minimum wage hit $15 for the first time in 2017 for employees of Seattle’s largest businesses.

“When we passed the $15 minimum wage, we were warned the economy would tank, jobs would dry up, and employers would flee,” Mayor Ed Murray said. “Today, Seattle’s economy is the strongest it has ever been, unemployment is at a historically low rate, and employers are competing for employees. Raising the minimum wage was not just the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do. We still have work to do to address the affordability crisis and to ensure that working people and families can continue to call Seattle home in the years to come.”

Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour was one step in a multi-pronged approach to close the affordability gap for low-wage workers. Mayor Murray has addressed housing affordability through the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda and created the Seattle Preschool Program to provide high-quality, free education to Seattle families as part of his vision for a more equitable city. Mayor Murray also successfully passed a transportation levy that increased bus service to historic levels, helping workers connect to job centers throughout Seattle.

Seattle’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.6 percent over the last two years. Median household income increased during the same period to $80,349. Restaurants were among the fastest growing industries, employing over 33,000 people in 2016 alone.

“Seattle’s $15 per hour minimum wage is a great example of good labor policy working,” said Nicole Grant, Executive Secretary Treasurer of the Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council. “Wages are up, businesses are hiring, and our diverse economy is thriving. We are proud to have led the way.”

“With 23 employees and three locations in Seattle, Broadcast Coffee Roasters supported the minimum wage increase,” said Barry Faught, founder of Broadcast Coffee. “Not only is paying a higher wage the right thing to do, it also gives folks more money in their pocket, which boosts our local economy. Since the increase of the minimum wage, Broadcast has seen sales continue to grow and employee churn go down.”

Additionally, Mayor Murray and the Office of Economic Development are examining policies to address commercial affordability, especially for small businesses. The same market pressures driving up housing costs are putting pressure on small and minority owned businesses. Last year a Commercial Affordability Advisory Committee offered several suggestions to help small businesses thrive in Seattle, even as wages increase.

“A healthy economy is one where people who work in a city can afford to live in the city,” Brian Surratt, Director of the Office of Economic Development said. “Raising the minimum wage was an important step towards addressing the income gap in Seattle. I’m grateful the Seattle business community was at the table helping to raise the minimum wage. Seattle is lucky to have such progressive partners as we tackle these important issues.”

]]>Mayor Murray’s remarks from Liberty Bank Groundbreakinghttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murrays-remarks-liberty-bank-groundbreaking/Tue, 20 Jun 2017 20:41:28 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42059Remarks as Prepared for Delivery Liberty Bank Groundbreaking June 19, 2017 Today was supposed to be a day of celebration for Seattle’s African American community. On Juneteenth, we were scheduled to be here in the heart of Seattle’s historic Black neighborhood breaking ground on the future Liberty Bank Building, an inspiring community driven project that […]

Today was supposed to be a day of celebration for Seattle’s African American community.

On Juneteenth, we were scheduled to be here in the heart of Seattle’s historic Black neighborhood breaking ground on the future Liberty Bank Building, an inspiring community driven project that includes $12.2 million in City dollars to turn Seattle’s economic success into a model for inclusion rather than gentrification.

And while all of that is true, we are here today, grieving. Again.

Grieving over yet another devastating encounter between an African American family and the police.

Grieving over yet another death in the African American community.

Seattle’s Black community is hurting. Seattle’s Black community is angry.

This is a painful part of our city’s history — the hurt and the anger that the Black community has endured for decades. For too long.

All of America is grieving. Sunday’s shooting follows the painful Philando Castile verdict in Minnesota

But your deep sense of injustice and your deep dissatisfaction have led to action.

Your activism and collaboration with the City led to the landmark and historic police accountability legislation I signed last month.

That legislation gives civilians an unprecedented, independent oversight role of investigations into police conduct.

Of course, that does not bring Charleena Lyles back.

Like all of us, her family is now plagued with questions about this shooting, from technical policing questions to philosophical and moral questions.

Sadly, African American families may now be questioning whether they should even call the police during emergencies. An unacceptable, but real dilemma that undermines just governance. And points to the ultimate question that continues to define all these tragedies: This city is asking itself what factor race played in the death of Charleena Lyles.

That is not meant as a judgment, but as the reality of the type of questions we must be asking.

Under this new era of accountability, yesterday’s police shooting will be thoroughly investigated.

The pressing questions about how and why this happened will be answered. Must be answered.

Must be answered for her family and her children.

Must be answered for all who are grappling with this tragedy, particularly for the African American community.

You are grieving today, and I am committed to an exhaustive investigation of this shooting.

We are committed to the well-being, the civil rights, and the success of Seattle’s African American community.

That’s why we are here today at the site of the Liberty Bank Building, the future home of a development that will include more than 100 units of affordable housing.

I want to congratulate all the partners who made this project happen.

Today, we are not simply breaking ground on another Seattle construction project.

We are breaking ground on a project that “gets it.” We are breaking ground on Seattle’s steadfast commitment to equity.

The First Bank Building is named after the first Black-owned bank West of the Mississippi, which opened its doors on this spot in the heart of the Black community in 1968.

We will build 115 units of affordable housing here.

While the city’s economy is booming, I have simultaneously been concerned that too many are being priced out of the city they love. Nowhere is this more acute than in the Central Area.

But an uncompromising tenet of this city is that growth must be accompanied by inclusion.

That’s a lofty goal. Fortunately, our Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda puts teeth into it: We are now mandating that developers contribute to affordable housing every time they build.

In the case of Liberty Bank, funded in part by City housing levy dollars from the Office of Housing, this fight for inclusion explicitly and proudly recognizes the Central Area’s unique history.

And that means recognizing its legacy businesses, religious institutions, organizations, and longtime residents.

The agreement for this new development makes a high-priority commitment to secure long-term African American ownership for the building, and that the bottom floor commercial space will support and develop African-American businesses.

But policy alone cannot guarantee success stories like today’s.

Guaranteeing and achieving inclusion also takes perseverance and partnerships. In fact, there’s no way to be inclusive without forming partnerships.

I applaud Centerstone, Black Community Impact Alliance, Africatown, and Capitol Hill Housing for your perseverance on behalf of this community, and for establishing a partnership that not only prioritized affordability, but also prioritized this City’s values.

Your partnership demonstrated that a community can shape the way it grows and changes — can shape how Seattle grows and changes.

I’d also like to also thank my Office of Economic Development for their role to support the growth and development of black-owned businesses in the Central Area, and for identifying black-owned contracting firms.

This historic partnership may be a first, but it cannot be the last. And it will not be the last. Mark my words, you have established a new standard. Call it the equity standard.

I now turn it over to Chris Persons, Executive Director of Capitol Hill Housing, to continue to mark this very special day.

]]>City of Seattle, King County release joint request for proposals for Legal Defense Fundhttp://murray.seattle.gov/city-seattle-king-county-release-joint-request-proposals-legal-defense-fund/Tue, 20 Jun 2017 19:18:11 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42058Today, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine, along with the King County and Seattle City Councils, announced a joint request for proposals (RFP) to provide legal services, guidance and referrals to legal services for immigrants and refugees from a $1.55 million fund. Local organizations providing these services can apply for the […]

Today, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray and King County Executive Dow Constantine, along with the King County and Seattle City Councils, announced a joint request for proposals (RFP) to provide legal services, guidance and referrals to legal services for immigrants and refugees from a $1.55 million fund. Local organizations providing these services can apply for the funding, which will assist people living in the area in need of representation for issues related to their immigration status. Both the City and the County passed legislation authorizing these funds earlier this year as President Donald Trump threatened immigrant and refugee communities through rhetoric and unconstitutional executive orders.

“Dating back nearly two years to the start of his campaign, President Trump has disparaged, targeted, and attempted to exclude immigrant and refugee communities,” said Mayor Murray. “Seattle has stood up against Trump and stood with our friends and neighbors by taking action. We are working together with King County to provide support and critical legal services for those who are being targeted because of their status, and for families that face being ripped apart. We are strong because we are a city of immigrants and a welcoming, inclusive city, and we will continue opposing Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda.”

“The actions of our national leaders do not reflect our local values,” said King County Executive Dow Constantine. “Here, in Martin Luther King County, we uphold the Constitution and respect the rights of all people. Along with the City of Seattle, we are supporting those on the front lines of the resistance, providing legal assistance and standing up for the rule of law. In doing so, we declare that our region is, and will always be, a welcoming community.”

Two RFPs are being administered by the Seattle Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) and the King County Office of Equity and Social Justice (OESJ) for:

Community navigation services (i.e. guidance and referral) for legal representation for residents of King County who are in detention, facing deportation, or in danger of losing their status; and

Legal representation for residents of King County who are in detention, facing deportation, or in danger of losing their status.

With immigrant and refugee communities facing the threat of deportation and being targeted by the Trump administration, both Seattle and King County have acted. Seattle reinforced its status as a Welcoming City, where no City employee will ask a resident about their immigration status and all City services are available to all residents. Since November, the City has responded to the federal administration’s anti-immigrant actions by funding peer support groups and counseling for immigrant and refugee middle and high school youth, and expanding naturalization assistance through citizenship clinics and large-scale workshops. Seattle has also bolstered community collaboration, education, and access to know-your-rights information and resources. Additionally, Mayor Murray created the Inclusive and Equitable Cabinet to address threats to civil rights, including to the immigrant and refugee community, and Mayor Murray signed an ordinance shepherded through Council by Councilmember M. Lorena González, establishing Seattle’s legal defense fund.

“We stand with our County partners in our steadfast commitment to ensuring that our immigrant and refugee community members have an opportunity to access free civil legal aid in immigration proceedings,” said Councilmember M. Lorena González. “In partnership with trusted community organizations, this investment will support our immigrant and refugee neighbors, friends and family at a time of critical need. Today we send a message to our immigrant and refugee neighbors throughout the region – we stand with you during these troubling times and beyond.”

King County’s legal defense funding is part of a broader, comprehensive strategy which includes education and know-your-rights trainings to work more upstream and prevent people from having the need for legal defense. In addition to legal defense, King County is supporting immigrant and refugee organizations with $450,000 to increase the protections of vulnerable residents in the county; via a Resilience Fund, the Seattle Foundation and other philanthropic partners have added to this funding for community organizations.

“It was an obvious choice to partner with the City of Seattle after we passed, on the same day, funding for legal aid for immigrants and refugees in our communities,” said King County Council Chair Joe McDermott. “We stand together in our work to ensure our region is a safe place for all residents, and this collaboration should be a model for jurisdictions around the country who want to protect and empower immigrant and refugee communities within their borders.”

King County is a Welcoming County, and it has passed ordinances that prohibit conditioning provision of services on immigration status and that stipulate that the County only honor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers if they are accompanied by a criminal warrant issued by a federal judge. King County Executive Dow Constantine has also led more than 80 elected officials from throughout King County who have signed a pledge to promote safe, welcoming, and inclusive communities. Information on applying for a Resilience Fund can be found here.

Both RFPs are due by July 12, with funding decisions to be announced in August.

]]>Mayor Ed Murray statement on today’s officer involved shootinghttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-ed-murray-statement-todays-officer-involved-shooting/Sun, 18 Jun 2017 23:21:23 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42055Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement about the officer involved shooting that occurred this morning near Magnuson Park: “Today’s incident is a tragedy for all involved. My thoughts are with the many people impacted, including three children and the responding officers. “Our historic police reforms, from de-escalation training to civilian-monitored force review, are in […]

Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement about the officer involved shooting that occurred this morning near Magnuson Park:

“Today’s incident is a tragedy for all involved. My thoughts are with the many people impacted, including three children and the responding officers.

“Our historic police reforms, from de-escalation training to civilian-monitored force review, are in place to address such crises. This will be fully investigated. The quality and integrity of the investigation will be reviewed by the federal monitoring team supervising our consent decree. We will work collectively with our consent decree partners and the Community Police Commission to ensure transparency throughout this process and offer support where needed.”

]]>Mayor Murray signs resolution committing to Paris Climate Agreementhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-signs-resolution-committing-paris-climate-agreement/Fri, 16 Jun 2017 18:40:01 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42053Today, Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement after signing a resolution that affirms the City of Seattle’s commitment to meet or exceed the goals established in the Paris Climate Agreement: “As the Trump administration disavows facts, shrinks from responsibility, and retreats from leadership, Seattle is committed to being carbon-neutral by 2050. We are putting […]

Today, Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement after signing a resolution that affirms the City of Seattle’s commitment to meet or exceed the goals established in the Paris Climate Agreement:

“As the Trump administration disavows facts, shrinks from responsibility, and retreats from leadership, Seattle is committed to being carbon-neutral by 2050. We are putting America first by putting clean air, clean water, public health and safety first. Most importantly, we are putting our children’s future first. We will continue to work with other governments, businesses, and organizations across Washington and the world to fight climate change. With the strong leadership of Governor Jay Inslee and the U.S. Climate Alliance, local governments will lead the effort to build a 21st century, sustainable economy that creates jobs, opportunity, and prosperity for all.”

Today, Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmembers Kshama Sawant (District 3, Central Seattle) and Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle & South Park) unveiled a joint proposal to begin shifting Seattle to a more progressive and sustainable tax structure, through a tax on high-income households. The proposal would place a 2 percent tax on joint filers’ income over $500,000 and single tax filers’ income over $250,000. The estimated $125 million in new annual revenue would allow the City to lower the burden associated with property taxes and other regressive taxes, replace federal funding potentially lost through President Trump’s budget cuts, enhance public services such as housing, education, transit, and/or create green jobs while meeting the City’s carbon reduction goals.

“Washington state’s tax structure is the most regressive in the country, putting the burden on many of our most vulnerable residents,” said Mayor Murray. “Leaving cities with only regressive tax options puts the heaviest burden on working people, families and communities of color. By replacing a system that relies too heavily on property and sales taxes with a progressive income tax, we can ease that burden and generate revenue to invest in Seattle priorities – human services, education, affordable housing and reliable transit. This remains one of the major shortcomings of our city and state, and it is finally time to fix it.”

“I ran for office four years ago on a program of a $15 per hour minimum wage, to tax the rich, and for rent control,” said Councilmember Sawant. “We won $15 by building the 15 Now grassroots campaign. Now we’re on the cusp of taxing Seattle’s rich, because socialists, activists, and community organizers have tirelessly built up our movement over the years. Our movement will continue to organize in our interests, against big business and the super rich, to make Seattle affordable for all.”

“People earning $20,000 a year devote two entire months of pay to their yearly tax bill; the 1 percent pay their annual tax bill in only six days,” said Councilmember Herbold. “A tax on high incomes will give Seattle a more equitable revenue structure to fund affordable housing and services addressing homelessness, education, transit, and climate change, and it could also be dedicated to lowering other regressive taxes and replacing federal funding potentially lost to Trump budget cuts.”

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) has found Washington state’s existing tax structure to be the most regressive in the nation, disproportionately hitting low-income households. ITEP found in 2015 that state and local taxes paid by the 20 percent of Washington families with the lowest incomes amounted to 16.8 percent of their income. In contrast, the tax burden for the 1 percent of families with the highest incomes was 2.4 percent of their income.

“Households with incomes below $21,000 are paying, on average, 16.8 percent of their income in state and local taxes, while those with incomes above $500,000 pay just 2.4 percent said John Burbank, Executive Director of the Economic Opportunity Institute, which co-leads the Trump Proof Seattle Coalition. “It is reasonable for Seattle’s wealthiest residents, who currently pay the lowest tax rates, to pay a little more to make Seattle a better place for everyone – including themselves – to live, work, raise a family and do business.”

The City Council will conduct an initial public hearing regarding this proposal on June 14. It is anticipated City Council will take final action by mid-July.

]]>Seattle releases employee gender identity guidelineshttp://murray.seattle.gov/seattle-releases-employee-gender-identity-guidelines/Thu, 08 Jun 2017 23:54:38 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42032Today, the Seattle Department of Human Resources released Guidance on Gender Identity in the Workplace, a new resource for City departments on gender identity and transitioning employees. This guidance sets forth the City’s expectations to support transitioning, gender-diverse and transgender City employees. It also provides a roadmap to help departments better serve employees who transition […]

Today, the Seattle Department of Human Resources released Guidance on Gender Identity in the Workplace, a new resource for City departments on gender identity and transitioning employees. This guidance sets forth the City’s expectations to support transitioning, gender-diverse and transgender City employees. It also provides a roadmap to help departments better serve employees who transition gender while on the job.

“As a Welcoming City, we are committed to ensuring that every resident and visitor is treated with respect and dignity regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Mayor Murray. “The guidance released today is part of my commitment to ensure that transgender and gender-diverse employees feel safe, respected and welcome in the workplace.”

“This policy is fundamental to the City’s core values to support people seeking to live authentically with the gender with which they identify. Also, an inclusive workplace drives innovation and attracts the top talent, so in that way it’s good for the City’s bottom line too because it leads to better service for our constituents,” said Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle).

In March 2016, Mayor Murray signed an Executive Order outlining clear steps to ensure that City facilities continue to be safe and welcoming places for all residents and employees, including transgender and gender-diverse people. The Executive Order instructed the Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) to work with community-based organizations to develop uniform guidance and trainings for City staff on providing safe and inclusive spaces for residents. It also directed SOCR to collaborate with the Seattle Department of Human Resources (SDHR) to develop best practices for creating gender inclusive work environments at the City. The City will supplement this guidance with training on gender identity for City employees, supervisors, and managers beginning in 2018.

“Discrimination remains pervasive against transgender and gender-diverse communities, and it lands most heavily on transgender people of color,” said Patricia Lally, Director of SOCR. “I hope this guidance can be a resource not just for Seattle City government, but also serve as a model for other governments and private employers.”

]]>Mayor Ed Murray announces Oak View Group as preferred partner for redevelopment of KeyArenahttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-ed-murray-announces-oak-view-group-preferred-partner-redevelopment-keyarena/Wed, 07 Jun 2017 23:32:03 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42019Mayor Ed Murray announced Oak View Group (OVG) as the preferred partner for the redevelopment of KeyArena today, beginning the process of negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will meet the needs of the surrounding community, the City, Seattle Center and the people who will enjoy the building for years to come. Today’s announcement […]

Mayor Ed Murray announced Oak View Group (OVG) as the preferred partner for the redevelopment of KeyArena today, beginning the process of negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will meet the needs of the surrounding community, the City, Seattle Center and the people who will enjoy the building for years to come. Today’s announcement comes at the culmination of a process that began last fall, with two organizations offering more than $1 billion to rebuild KeyArena into a world-class sports and entertainment facility. KeyArena is the centerpiece of the broader vision of a Seattle Center that is a central destination for Seattleites and people who visit our city each year.

“Today is an exciting day for the City, Sonics fans and everyone who looks forward to visiting KeyArena for hundreds of events each year,” said Mayor Murray. “KeyArena is one of our city’s great landmarks, and we will now work with OVG to get the best deal for Seattle – one that embraces the surrounding community, helps lay the foundation for the future of Seattle, and brings the Sonics home and the NHL to Seattle. I want to thank Oak View Group and Seattle Partners for working with the City of Seattle on the future of KeyArena and their interest in investing in the city.”

In February of 2017, the City of Seattle released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to redevelop KeyArena into a world-class sports and entertainment facility. Two serious bidders, Oak View Group and Seattle Partners, presented more than $1 billion in combined investments to reimagine the arena at the heart of Seattle Center. Oak View Group’s proposal emerged as the preferred option from the internal and external review processes. The Mayor’s Executive Review Team, led by Brian Surratt, unanimously selected Oak View Group as the preferred partner on Friday, June 2, 2017.

“On behalf of OVG, we want to congratulate the City of Seattle for its vision in revitalizing the arena at Seattle Center,” said Tim Leiweke, Co-founder and CEO of Oak View Group. “We are honored to partner with the Seattle Center, Uptown and Queen Anne neighborhoods, and the City, to preserve this historic building while transforming it into a world-class sports and live entertainment venue. We are committed to being a good neighbor, building on time and on budget with no risk to the taxpayers and City. Lastly, we will be a partner in the City’s path to bringing the NHL to Seattle and the return of the NBA. There is much work ahead and we have a great team and partner in the City of Seattle.”

While leaving the iconic roofline intact, OVG plans to redevelop the entire interior of the building, digging fifteen feet lower than the existing floor to add more square footage, bringing the arena size up to 660,000 square feet. Since KeyArena is eligible for historic landmark status, maintaining the existing roofline was identified as an important criterion. And OVG’s design meets at least the requirements of both the NBA and NHL.

OVG’s plan does not rely on the City’s bonding capacity, and they have partnered with Live Nation and Madison Square Garden Group, two well-established companies with the financial resources to build and operate an Arena of this size and scope. Additionally, OVG has strong relationships with both the NBA and NHL, which will be necessary to court teams in the future.

“I have been involved in basketball all my life, and I believe that Oak View Group’s vision provides the best way to bring the Sonics back to Seattle,” said Lenny Wilkens, former head coach of the Seattle SuperSonics and a member of the Arena Community Advisory Panel.

“Seattle’s labor community is excited about the opportunity to redevelop KeyArena,” said Nicole Grant, Executive Secretary of the M.L. King-County Labor Council and a member of the Arena Community Advisory Panel. “This project, during and after construction, will be a major employer, and OVG has indicated a strong commitment to equity and to workers as we move forward.”

Over several months, a Community Advisory Panel, external consultants who are experts in arenas, and internal City staff evaluated the proposals based on the following criteria:

Provide a world-class civic venue to attract and present music, entertainment, and sports events, potentially including NBA and NHL events, to Seattle and the region.

Provide for project design and arena operations in a manner that integrates with and enhances connections to Uptown and adjoining neighborhoods and aligns with the urban design

Provide for design, permitting, development, demolition (if applicable), and construction of the arena with minimal City financial participation.

Provide for the continuous, successful, sustainable operation of the arena as a world-class civic venue with minimal City financial participation.

Provide for mitigation of transportation impacts due to project construction and arena operations.

Provide project construction and arena operations in a manner that is equitable for workers and consistent with the City’s Race and Social Justice Initiative.

Provide for project design and arena operational integration with Seattle Center, contributing positively to the vibrancy of Seattle Center.

Also, the City collected comments from residents at an open house and online. While this process focused on the possible redevelopment of KeyArena, the City continues to honor its MOU with the group led by Chris Hansen, which continues into December of this year. Today’s announcement underscores the interest in building a world-class arena in Seattle, offering the City an option should the Hansen group fail to secure an NBA team, and helps address the future of the City-owned KeyArena.

In addition to their expertise with the arena, OVG demonstrated a commitment to the Seattle community. They established a $20 million community investment fund, $10 million of which will be dedicated to fighting youth homelessness through YouthCare.

“It is beyond our most vivid daydreams to think about all that will unfold through our partnership with Oak View Group,” said Melinda Giovengo, CEO of YouthCare, an organization that has provided support to homeless youth in the Seattle community for more than 40 years and to which Oak View Group has pledged $10 million over the next 20 years. “YouthCare is incredibly honored to be part of this transformative and historic project. So often homeless youth are invisible or left behind. But today? They are right alongside the City as it prepares to take a powerful and innovative step into its future. We thank Oak View Group for their commitment to Seattle’s shared values, and to helping homeless youth in our community find safety and prepare to take powerful steps into their own futures.”

On Wednesday, Mayor Ed Murray signed a letter agreeing to negotiate with Oak View Group to determine the final terms in a MOU. Once the terms are agreed upon, City Council will vote on the MOU by the end of 2017

The City of Seattle invites the community to continue to share their thoughts about Oak View Group’s design to help inform our negotiations moving forward. Visit www.seattle.gov/arena to share your thoughts and to review materials.

]]>Mayor Murray statement on KeyArena proposalshttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-statement-keyarena-proposals/Mon, 05 Jun 2017 00:36:10 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42018Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement regarding today’s announcement by Seattle Partners: “We appreciate Seattle Partners’ interest in investing in KeyArena and our ongoing partnership with AEG on major events, such as Bumbershoot. Over the last few months, the City and the Community Advisory Panel have undertaken a careful review of the two proposals […]

Mayor Ed Murray released the following statement regarding today’s announcement by Seattle Partners:

“We appreciate Seattle Partners’ interest in investing in KeyArena and our ongoing partnership with AEG on major events, such as Bumbershoot. Over the last few months, the City and the Community Advisory Panel have undertaken a careful review of the two proposals to redevelop KeyArena into a world class entertainment facility that will bring the NHL to Seattle and the Sonics back home.

“There are strengths and weaknesses in each proposal and the City fully expects a robust negotiation upon choosing a preferred alternative, to ensure the final plan meets the needs of the surrounding neighborhoods, the city, Seattle Center and those who will use the building for years to come.

“It is unfortunate Seattle Partners chose to pull their proposal. As recently as May 19th, Seattle Partners stated in a mass email: ‘We applaud the City for executing a thoughtful public process. Engaging with teams from the City and the public has strengthened our proposal and crystallized our approach.’ We hope to continue our current relationship with AEG and look forward to addressing our path forward on KeyArena, as well as our commitment to engage the community, in the coming days.”

]]>Mayor Murray, Councilmember O’Brien issue statements on President Trump’s withdrawal from Paris Agreementhttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murray-councilmember-obrien-issue-statements-president-trumps-withdrawal-paris-agreement/Thu, 01 Jun 2017 20:29:42 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42008Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Mike O’Brien issued the following statements in reaction to President Trump’s announcement that he will withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement to address climate change: “Climate change threatens every part of our lives, from the air we breathe, to the food we eat, to resilience of our cities […]

Mayor Ed Murray and Councilmember Mike O’Brien issued the following statements in reaction to President Trump’s announcement that he will withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement to address climate change:

“Climate change threatens every part of our lives, from the air we breathe, to the food we eat, to resilience of our cities and infrastructure,” said Mayor Murray. “The United States led the world in developing the Paris Agreement, but President Trump’s reversal not only weakens U.S. leadership, but hurts our ability to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Our country, and our planet, have already paid the price for years of inaction on climate change and our children will look back on this day asking how a world leader could be so callous as to threaten their future. Going backward is not an option, which is why cities like Seattle will fill the void left by President Trump by keeping our commitments to the Paris Agreement. Seattle will pass a resolution affirming this commitment and signaling our readiness to create a cleaner, healthier environment.”

“Last year I joined Gov. Inslee and other local leaders in Paris,” said Councilmember O’Brien. “It served as a painful reminder that climate change is the most urgent challenge facing humankind. To mitigate the pollution causing climate change, Seattle and other cities around the world need to continue adopting the goals advanced by the Paris Agreement. More than half the world’s population lives in urban areas. We also know that cities account for almost two-thirds of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. No matter who occupies the White House, cities can be the incubators for the solutions to climate change, and can continue to resist Trump’s planet-destroying agenda.”

The City of Seattle has long been committed to addressing climate change through measures that reduce carbon emissions and policies that promote sustainability.

Seattle City Light, the City’s publicly-owned electric utility, has been carbon neutral since 2005.

In 2016, Mayor Murray launched Drive Clean Seattle to leverage Seattle’s clean electricity across the transportation sector to accelerate the City’s transition away from oil, with a goal to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from the City fleet by 50 percent by 2025.

In his latest budget, Mayor Murray committed to creating 20 publicly accessible fast charging stations throughout Seattle; new charging stations were unveiled at Woodland Park Zoo this May in partnership with BMW’s car share service, ReachNow.

Additionally, Mayor Murray has signed agreements with Mexico City, Shenzhen, China, and Vancouver, British Columbia calling for increased collaboration on climate change and clean technology industries.

Also, the City has adopted strategies to disconnect Seattle’s economic and population growth from carbon pollution by making historic investments in bus service, transit-oriented development, and increased housing density, as well as strengthened its energy code beyond national standards to ensure buildings constructed today can be carbon neutral by 2050.

]]>Mayor Murray’s statement on point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessnesshttp://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murrays-statement-point-time-count-people-experiencing-homelessness/Wed, 31 May 2017 19:06:24 +0000http://murray.seattle.gov/?p=42003Today, All Home King County released “Count Us In,” a point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness in our community. This year’s survey utilized a new counting methodology to ensure greater accuracy. Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement about the City of Seattle’s actions to address the homelessness crisis: The point-in-time count confirmed we are living in […]

Today, All Home King County released “Count Us In,” a point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness in our community. This year’s survey utilized a new counting methodology to ensure greater accuracy. Mayor Ed Murray issued the following statement about the City of Seattle’s actions to address the homelessness crisis:

The point-in-time count confirmed we are living in a homelessness crisis, but it also provided new, vital information about who precisely is living unsheltered—and more important, why they are living unsheltered. We set out to do a more rigorous, comprehensive, and thorough count than ever this year so we could assess the specifics of this crisis and develop concrete solutions to it.

Knowing that King County’s unsheltered population overwhelmingly comes from King County, knowing that the unsheltered population is disproportionately made up of people of color, and knowing the actual percentages of unsheltered people who have substance abuse disorders or are victims of domestic violence, helps us turn spreadsheets of numbers into faces with names.

Since this count was taken, we’ve aggressively implemented a hands-on to addressing this crisis. Our Navigation Team of social workers, health professionals, and police officers have successfully engaged with more 600 people and connected services and housing to more than 250. This is how individualized services can help and how having a complete picture of this crisis helps us better service those experiencing it.

In addition to adding 175 new enhanced shelter beds that will accept people with partners, pets, possessions, or a substance abuse disorder, our Human Services Department will rebid $30 million homeless service contracts to ensure these are meeting our goals. It is critical that we continue to collect data like the Point in Time count and ensure our funding and programming are meeting the needs of people living unsheltered.